Arnold Schwarzenegger on Civil Rights

Republican CA Governor

Gay marriage should be between a man and a woman

During an interview with Sean Hannity [on Fox News in 2002], Arnold made his most famous gaffe of the campaign, though voters appeared to find it charming.
Asked whether he supported gay marriage, Arnold replied, "No, I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman."

Source: The Governator, by Ian Halperin, p.272
, Oct 12, 2010

2004: override San Francisco gay marriages with state ruling

On Nov. 18, 2003, a 4-3 decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court legalized gay marriages in the state. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), passed by Congress and signed by Pres. Clinton in 1996, defined marriage as a legal union between one
man and one woman and saying that states need not recognize a marriage from another state if it is between persons of the same sex.

The issue grew more intense, but Bush's rhetoric did not. In Feb. 2004, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom poured gallons
of gasoline on the controversy by issuing city marriage licenses to same-sex couples. This was too much for the governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who ordered the state attorney general to "take immediate steps to obtain a definitive judicial resolution of
this controversy." By May 2004, Missouri had become the first of 12 states in 2004 to qualify a ballot initiative in defense of traditional marriage. All twelve measures in defense of traditional marriage passed, with support ranging from 57% to 86%.

Rated “D” by National Review on pro-gay issues

On Gay Marriage: The National Review gives Gilmore, an “F” on the issue of gay marriage. By way of comparison to other then governors, Schwarzenegger of California had a “D.” Rell of Connecticut had a “C.”

Eliminate racial inequality in employment

The people have to have the same right for work and the same kind of opportunities. Right now, for instance, we have a 6.6% unemployment rate here in California, and we have an increase in unemployment amongst women, 25%, amongst Hispanics, 20%,
and amongst African-Americans, 45%. Where is the equality here? We need to fight for equality. When I am governor, I will fight for that. And I think the governor sets the tone on that.

Source: Recall Debate, Cal. State Univ. at Sacramento
, Sep 24, 2003

Against giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants

HUFFINGTON: I’m very glad that Arnold is in favor of providing health care for the children of illegal immigrants. That’s really good news, because you did vote for 187. And because you have also come out against licenses for undocumented immigrants.
So there is a bit of a contradiction here. It’s all very well to say you’re for children, you want them to be insured, but if their parents cannot legally drive them to work, whether they’re insured and they’re safe, isn’t that a bit of a contradiction?

HUFFINGTON: But they are connected because parents drive their children.

SCHWARZENEGGER: I am against the driver’s license because it is without any
background check and without any fingerprints or anything. Therefore, it is dangerous for the security of California. Davis came out a year ago and has made it clear and has said, we cannot do that because it is endangering us, it is a security problem.

Advisor to US English, an anti-bilingual organization

Schwarzenegger was criticized last week about his membership on the advisory board of U.S. English, a group that supports making English the country’s official language.
A Schwarzenegger campaign spokesman strongly denied the accusations. “The man is an immigrant himself. To say he’s anti-immigrant is Orwellian,” the spokesman said.

Source: Associated Press on SFgate.com
, Sep 1, 2003

Keep gambling commission independent of tribes

Governor Davis’ recent announcement offering the lead role in selecting two of the five members of the California Gambling Control Commission to the very gaming tribes the commission is in charge of regulating is unfortunate and misguided.
It puts both the commission and the gaming tribes in a very bad position, creating potential questions of conflict and undermining the vital credibility of the commission itself.

The California Gambling Control Commission should be completely independent of any perceived control of the very interests it is supposed to regulate. This is yet another example of Davis putting his own political interest ahead of the public interest.
I oppose this decision and I call upon Governor Davis to immediately reconsider and reverse it.

Domestic partnership but not gay marriage

In a rapid-fire series of questions by radio talk show host Sean Hannity on the nationally syndicated Sean Hannity Show, Schwarzenegger said he does not support gay marriage, but does approve of some kind of domestic partnership.

“I think that gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman,” he said, a misstatement in a rush to keep up with the staccato-like delivery of the questions [implying that marriage should only be between a man and a woman].

Source: CNN.com
, Aug 28, 2003

Supports gay rights, including adoption rights

He’s loud and clear about his support for gay rights, including adoption rights. He once told Cosmopolitan magazine, “I have no sexual standards in my head that say this is good or this is bad.
Homosexual-that only means to me that he enjoys sex with a man and I enjoy sex with a woman. It’s all legitimate to me.”

Source: Time magazine cover story
, Aug 18, 2003

Require 90 day delay for compliance before ADA lawsuits.

H.R. 914/S. 872 the ADA Notification Act. Republican Main Street Partnership Congressman Mark Foley (FL) introduced this legislation to protect the Americans with Disabilities Act from a growing number of lawyers who are generating huge sums in legal fees for pointing out accessibility violations by business when often simple fixes would bring properties into compliance with the ADA's accessibility standards. This variety of litigation abuse stems from the lack of any notification provision in the ADA. RMSP supports a 90-day delay between notification of an alleged accessibility violation and any legal proceedings. This notification will allow honest business owners to become ADA compliant without added legal expense while freeing up the courts to pursue legal action against bad players.